A team that refused to be blown out ended the game with the tying run on deck, and the new guy in the clubhouse proved exactly why his team desperately needs him. Those were the silver linings for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, who dropped Thursday’s contest at McKeon Park by a score of 10-6 to the Brewster Whitecaps to fall to a 12-15 record on the season.

The Harbor Hawks had given up two runs or fewer in each of their three previous games, but the Whitecaps couldn’t stop scoring on Thursday.

Hyannis manager Mitch Karraker said both the team’s pitching and defense were at fault.

“We walked a lot of guys, four of those walks ended up scoring,” Karraker said. “We made a couple bobbles in the infield that we should have handled a little bit better. It just wasn’t a clean night for us overall.”

Walks have been a thorn in Hyannis’ side all season, and Thursday was no exception – the pitching staff issued five bases on balls. Brewster second baseman Jay Abernathy amassed four of those walks on his own and came around to score each time.

Catcher Jacob Lee was the Whitecaps’ biggest offensive producer of the night. Lee recorded six RBIs, five of which came with two outs, during a three-hit night.

Sloppy infield defense didn’t help Hyannis’ run-prevention effort. Shortstop Charlie Bates had a rough defensive night, committing a throwing error that directly led to Brewster runs and deflecting two batted balls, allowing them to pass him to the outfield.

Brewster totaled 12 hits to Hyannis’ eight.

Although the Harbor Hawks opened the scoring, the Whitecaps took a 3-2 lead in the third, stealing three bases in that inning alone and recording two hits with runners in scoring position.

Brewster added on in the fifth on the throwing error and subsequent sacrifice fly and in the sixth on two walks and an RBI base hit.

Even in the losing effort, Hyannis’ offense is improving, scoring six runs for the second consecutive game after a stretch of poor offensive performances.

“Our swings are better, our swing decisions are better, our timing’s better,” Karraker said. “We’re heading in the right direction. Putting up six runs was hard to do a week ago, and so I think the offense is doing a nice job.”

First baseman Caden Miller had a two-hit game, while center fielder Jax Gimenez knocked in two runs.

Catcher Andrew Lamb got the offense rolling, hitting his first home run of the season on the first pitch he saw as the leadoff man in the bottom of the second.

“It was just the pitch I was looking for,” Lamb said. “Just a little bit elevated, just in a zone where I could hit it. Sometimes you just see it well, and that time I did, and I thankfully put a good swing on it.”

Lamb started behind the plate, but soon found himself in a position he didn’t expect. Left fielder Liam Barrett was lifted from the game after sustaining a minor injury, on which Karraker had no immediate update. Lamb shifted to the outfield for the top of the fifth, while Will Fosberg came in to catch.

Two innings later, Brewster third baseman Holden Pantier decided to test Lamb’s arm. Pantier attempted to score from third on a fly ball to left field, Lamb’s throw arrived before him at the plate, and the inning ended on a flyball double play.

“It’s every outfielder’s dream to be full-sprint in on a ball and a runner in scoring position,” Lamb said. “So I gave it my best bet, and a double play to end the inning is always super fun.”

After arriving on the Cape relatively late in the season, Lamb has already been called upon to play catcher, first base and now infield. Hyannis is down to 11 position players after some midseason departures, and Lamb becoming a superutilityman has been vital.

“Just being involved any way I can is how I approach it,” Lamb said. “It’s always a lot of fun. Just anywhere you can play baseball.”

The Whitecaps added three more runs in the final two frames. After the second inning, the Harbor Hawks did not score again until the eighth, when two walks, a wild pitch, and an RBI groundout from Bates brought in Hyannis’ third run.

Down 10-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Harbor Hawks couldn’t come back, but didn’t go down without a fight.

Miller’s second hit of the game was a one-out triple. He scored on a fielding error by Pantier.

Fosberg singled and third baseman Matt Ineich walked, loading the bases, and Gimenez singled in two runs. The rally ended there as the Whitecaps’ bullpen managed to close out the game – but the game went from a blowout to ending with the tying run on deck, and Karraker said that shows “these guys have a lot of fight.”

“They have the will to win,” Karraker said. “Obviously, we should have been a little bit better in those middle innings … but really proud of them for the fight they had there at the end.”

The Harbor Hawks and Whitecaps have now concluded their season series. Brewster, now 18-7, has won all four matchups.

“These guys are really good,” Karraker said of the Whitecaps. “They make you pay for mistakes.”

The Harbor Hawks have one more game before the All-Star break, an away matchup against the Orleans Firebirds.

“Going into the All-Star break, you want to feel good about where you’re at,” Karraker said. “I think we’re still in a good spot. Tomorrow’s a big, big game for us.”

Karraker said the break is “going to be needed,” and the Harbor Hawks will look to “empty the tank” at Orleans and head into the break strong.

First pitch against the Firebirds is set for 6:30 p.m. at Eldredge Park.